We at the Resistance Lab write yet another statement with heaviness in our hearts following the murders by a white terrorist of Daoyou Feng, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Soon Chung Park, Xiaojie Tan, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, and Paul Andre Michels, six of whom were Asian American women. We write this statement to name these recent murders as a hate crime, the result of gendered racism and white supremacy. There has been an increase in attacks, verbal and physical, against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), during the pandemic as a result of statements, including those made by the 45th President of the United States, blaming China for the pandemic. However, hatred against AAPI individuals is not new within the United States. From the first known immigration of AAPI individuals to the United States in the 1850s, AAPI individuals were met with violence, followed by the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act limiting immigration from China, and the World War II Japanese internment camps. Post 9/11, the U.S. saw another rise in violence against AAPI individuals, particularly those perceived as Muslim. The long history of fetishizing AAPI women and subsequent normalization of this behavior runs alongside this history of oppression and created a culture where it seems ok to say this white man killed six Asian women because he was “having a bad day.” We are disgusted by this sentiment. We at the Resistance Lab stand in solidarity and struggle with our AAPI community and call for action now to stop white terrorism and AAPI hate.
Below is a list of resources for how you can take action NOW (adapted resources from the Asian American Psychological Association):
Healing Resources for AAPI folks:
Asian American Feminist Antibodies (care in the time of coronavirus): https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59f87d66914e6b2a2c51b657/t/5e7bbeef7811c16d3a8768eb/1585168132614/AAFCZine3_CareintheTimeofCoronavirus.pdf
Report AAPI Hate and access resources: https://stopaapihate.org/
Blog post on self-care tips for Asian Americans during COVID pandemic: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/self-care-advice-asian-americans_l_5e83a656c5b6a1bb764f0e45
Liberate Meditation (meditation app by and for BIPOC): https://liberatemeditation.com/
Psychology Today blog post: Radical healing in times of fear and uncertainty:
Understanding Racism and Its Related Stress Can Help People of Color Cope with Negative Effects by past AAPA President Dr. Karen Suyemoto and colleagues
Surviving Racism Amidst COVID-19 – by Yin J. Li: https://medium.com/@yintheralane/surviving-racism-amidst-covid-19-8b18473c3675
Guide to responding to microaggressions – by Dr. Kevin Nadal
Dr. Sherry Wang featured on May Lee Show to explain how Asians can protect themselves during the coronavirus crisis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G57kihf4N_Q&feature=youtu.be
Dr. Alicia del Prado’s blog post: Stay Proud: Being Asian American Is a Good Thing
Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Chinese and Spanish versions available) https://www.nctsn.org/resources/parent-caregiver-guide-to-helping-families-cope-with-the-coronavirus-disease-2019
Tips on helping children cope with COVID-relatetd stigma and racism from school psychologists: https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/countering-covid-19-(coronavirus)-stigma-and-racism-tips-for-parents-and-caregivers
Card game to promote intergenerational communication and story-telling (great for shelter in place!): https://parentsarehuman.com/
Consciousness Raising Resources:
Asian American Feminist Collective Resources: https://www.asianamfeminism.org/resources
Racism and Sexism must be considered in the Atlanta killing of 6 Asian women: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/racism-sexism-must-be-considered-atlanta-case-involving-killing-six-n1261347?fbclid=IwAR2UUdLpUQ6PUDQN7abqTl3ArcUXq2vEPhKS4cwrZsWHkB6BxIW_LidWZRI
New Yorker article, Confronting Anti-Asian Discrimination During the Coronavirus Crisis: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/confronting-anti-asian-discrimination-during-the-coronavirus-crisis
NPR Code Switch Podcast: When Xenophobia Spreads Like A Virus
https://www.npr.org/2020/03/02/811363404/when-xenophobia-spreads-like-a-virus
Dr. Miguel Gallardo’s Cultural Humility Podcast with Dr. Doris Chang “COVID-19 and Asian Communities: Where Racism and Bigotry Are Also a Health Hazard” https://drgallardo.com/uncategorized/covid-19-and-asian-communities-where-racism-and-bigotry-are-also-a-health-hazard/
Take a 1-hour bystander intervention training to stop Anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment, offered by Hollaback and Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ): https://www.ihollaback.org/bystanderintervention/?link_id=2&can_id=8f926b39d94fb1111ed2f7e98c618b32&source=email-over-1680-of-you-showed-up&email_referrer=email_773894&email_subject=over-1680-of-you-showed-up
A personal reflection on the spiritual impact of COVID from an Indian anthropologist and public health researcher: https://www.internationalhealthpolicies.org/blogs/a-personal-reflection-on-covid-19s-spiritual-impact/
Resources for Resistance:
COVID-19 Mutual Aid & Advocacy Resources:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dpMzMzsA83jbVEXS8m7QKOtK4nj6gIUk1U1t6P4wShY/edit
How to help combat Anti-Asian American hate: https://www.thecut.com/2021/03/atlanta-spa-shooting-how-to-help-where-to-donate.html
Sakhi for South Asian Women, addressing gender-based violence within the South Asian diaspora:
Here’s how you can help sex workers during the COVID-19 outbreak: https://rewirenewsgroup.com/article/2020/03/26/heres-how-you-can-help-sex-workers-during-the-covid-19-outbreak/
Red Canary Song: https://linktr.ee/redcanarysong